Automatic lumber feeder



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F. L. LANE AUTOMATIC LUMBER FEEDER Filed June 5. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 2NWN:

May 13 B924.

F. L. LANE AUTOMATIC LUMBER FEEDER Filed June 5, i922 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 NGl MW E3 E924o Lg F. L. LANE AUTOMAT I C LUMBER FEEDER Filed June 5,1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 www@ @www May is, am. www@ l F. L. LANE AUTOMATI CLUMBER FEEDER Filed June 5. 1922 8 sheetssheet s Je l May 113 1924.3,494,174

F. L. LANE AUTOMAT I C LUMBER FEEDER Filed June 3. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 6diff/@55: UQM.

May 13 1924. www@ F. L. LANE AUTOMAT IC LUMBER FEEDER Filed June 5 19228 Sheets-Sheet 7 may m 19% m4494174 F. L. LANE AUTOMATIC LUMBER FEEDERFiled June 3 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 /"Qll, I E@ 25 Patented Talley i3,i222.

tenia stares saisie,-

FRANKLIN L. LN'E, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO l?. B. YATES MACHINECQ.,

F BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ACORPORATON-OF W'ISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC LUMBER FEEDER. Application filed June S, 1922. Serial No.565,770.

To all whom t may concern: throughout the several views of which like Beit known that l, FRANKLIN L. LANE, reference characters refer to thesame parts.` a citizen of the United States, residing in ln thesedrawings: 55 y.the city of Beloit, county of Rock, State of Figure `1 isa side elevation of one`em- Wisconsin, have invented certain new andbodiinent of the inventioni useful Improvements in. Automatic LumberFigure 2 is a plan view of the same mech- Feederaioi which the followingis a speciu anism;

iicatiomf Figure 3 is a fragmntaryenlarged side @il i My presentinvention concerns a novel elevation of a portion of the machine; l0type and style of ower-driven feeding ap- Figure 4 is a plan view ofthatpart of i pliancf or table or advancing lumber to the machine shown inFi ure 3; planing or other machines, whereby theends Figure 5 isa,longitu inal vertical secof the boards are maintained butted totionthrough the part of the mechanism 65 gether or in contact and a sin lecontinuous shown in Figures 3 and 4U; line oi end to end abutted cardsis fed Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 to the planer -se that thelatter may operate showing the feeder handling thinner lumto maximumadvantage andcapacity. ber;

The table is designed and intended to ac- Figure 7 is a fragmentaryvertical eross- 70 commode-te a number of boards at a time, sectionthrough the feed table; enabling the operator to have ample op- Figure 8is a similar longitudinal secportunityfto so turn the individual boardstion; i over or end for end as he places them on Figures. 9 and 1() areothervertical crossthe table that-the highest grade. of nished sections;l lumber is easilyattainable. Figure 1l is an end view of the feedingOne prime objectoi the invention is the table; and provision of a`feeding table oi this kind Flgure 12 is a verticalcross-sectionshowwhich willfeed the boards positively and ing a modified form ofconstruction.

with lcertainty even though they may be Referrin to these drawings, itwill be kso* I Warped oftwisd @y have other'irregulariperceived t at themachine comprises a suba@ tia@ stantial and rigid frame having a plural-Another purpose of the invention is to ityof legs 21, 2l at ca h SideSupporting 'a supply a feeding appliance which may be pair of parallel,longitudinal I-beams 22, fed from either, or'both Sides, whereby there22 crossconnected together at intervals by e5 maybe no loss of' time indelivering the short, transverse I-beams 23, 23,these several 3e beardsfrom anew loaded truck just assoon fratrie elements being suitablybolted `or asthe preceding one becomes unloaded. riveted together. t.

This is easily accomplished by feeding Along one lengthwise ed e of thisframe, alternateiy from trucks or dollies on oppoa slightly-inclined,woo en, .metal-faced yno site sides ofthe table. I side-guide 24 and asimilar, horizontal shelf 40 An additional aim oi- .the invention is tcor ledge 2,5 are mounted on aplurality of provide arr appliance ot thistype which appropriate supporting brackets 26, carried is rugged andcapable of satisfactorily with by the corresponding longitudinal l-beam22. standing the more or less rough usage to The machine also has alurality of longie5 which it is subjected without becoming damtudinallyuted rollers 2 disposed crossaged or 'injured and without interruptionwise the frame and mounted on shafts roof oilicent service. tatable inbearings 28 on the -frame 'mem- To the accomplishment' of these andotherv bers 22, such feed rollers being rotated by desirable objects lhave invented the new means described hereinafter. rterm oi feedingtable, preferred and desir- These power-driven feed-rollers are de` 5oable `,einbodiinents of the invention being signed to accommodatea'plurality of boards illustrated in the accompanyinr drawings restin ontop of one another and to feed forming e part ot this speci cation andout te lowerniost one, and then `the or feeding operation to guide ordirect them properly to the planing machine, two different orinterchangeable structures are employed depending upon the widths ofboards handled.

This structure comprises three shoes 29,

31 and 32 fitting around the top flanges titl .proximately,

of and adapted to slide on the u per faces of the three cross-beams 23of t e frame, each of such shoes, as is indicated in Figures 7 and 8,having a rack 33 fixed thereto by cap screws 34, the teeth thereof onits bottom face being in mesh with those of the companion gear 35, allthree gears being carried by a longitudinally-dis osed shaft 36rotatable in bearing mem rs 37 fastened to the lower flanges of thecross I-beams 23.

This shaft at its end toward the planer or matcher, not shown, is fittedwith a handwheel 38 and at its other end with a notched or ratchet wheel39 with the teeth of which a paiwl 4l is designed to coact to preventunintentional turning of the shaft.

Such pawl or dog is carried by a lengthwise arranged shaft 42oscillatory in suitable bearings 43 and supplied at its opposite endnear the hand wheel 38, with an operating handle 44, thus enabling thepawl to be released from either end of the feeding table.

As shaft 36 is turned by either the handwheel 38 or the ratchet-wheel39, the three shoes or slides 29, 3l and 32 will move equally andsimultaneously in the same di-' rection toward or from the side fence orguide 24.

lVhen relatively wide boards are being fed it. is customary to mount avertical roller 45 ou the foremost shoe or slide 29. whereby each boardas it is advanced by the poweractuated tluted or roughened rollers 27will engage such guide-roller 45 and be forced over by it toward or intocontact with the side-guide. i,

For narrower boards, however, this antifriction. demonntable roller isdesir-ably replaced by a relatively-long, horizontal, wooden,metal-covered side-fence 46 removably supported on the threereciprocatory or adjustable shoes 29, 31 and 32 by means of suitablebrackets or supports 47 fitting in sockets of the shoesfand under suchcircumstances lthe boards piled on one another are accommodated betweenthese spaced apparallel members-24 and 46. the distance between which issubject to control for different widths of boards.

At 48 the frame has a pointed. opstanding rod or pin by means of whichthey boards i' maybe jacked individually Afrom thel trucks on to the.feeding-table.

mesma At its planer or matcher end, the feedingtable is fittedY with acasting having two, vertical, side-walls 49 and 51 above thecorrespoinling longitudinal I-beains 22 of the traine. such walls beingconnected together b v a cross-wall 52 Figure 6) carrying a table :33,the top face ot which is about on a level with the tops ol the fluted,power driven feed-rollers already n'ientioned and two others 54 and 55on shafts 56 and 57, respectively, rotatable in bearings in thesidewalls.

An inclined gate ory abutment 58 is adjustable upland down in slopingguideways 59. 50 in the inner faces of the side-walls of the casting`the gate bridging or spanning the space between such walls, and beingequipped with an index or pointer 61 cooperating with an upright scale62 to indicate or designate the adjustment of the gate or thethicknesses of boards it is designed to accommodate beneath it in itsdifferent positions of adjustment.

To govern or regulate the position of such gate, I provide a cross-shaft63 revoluble in bearings in the side-walls, the shaft having two pinions64 fast thereon and in mesh with the teeth of two racks 65 slidinglymounted on the gate, each such rack having a round hole ei'tendedlongitudinally therethrough and receiving an inclined rod 66 at its topend at 67 to a lug 68 of the gate and provided at. its protruding,lower. threaded end with a nut 69 and associated lock-nut 71, a short,coiled, shock-absorbing spring 72 being accommodated in a cavity in theunder sideof each lug and interposed between such lug and the top end ofthe'corresponding rack, whereby the gate is supported by the pair ofadjustable racks through their springs.

The shaft extends through one side-wall,

where it is equipped with a notched handwheel 73 by which it, may beturned to adjust or var v the position ot' the gate, the hand-wheelbeing normally locked in its de sired osition by a hinged or pivoted dogor pawl '1734 niacting with its notches.

A comparatively-heavy yoke 75 is hinged at. its opposite ends at 76 tothis gate. such yoke having a smooth` usually-inclined wall 77 againstwhich the. boards are' adapted 'to strike. and also having asmooth-faced. cylindrical. revoluble roller 78.'the shaft 79 of which ismounted in appropriate. l'iearings in the end walls of the yoke.

Two rods 81 hinged to the ends of the yoke extend up through aperturedears 82 at the top of the gate, and above these the rods have coilsprings 83 encircling them and resting on the ears, the weight of theyoke under certain circumstances being borne by such springs throughnuts R4 on the upper threaded ends of the rods,

maarre When no boards are under the roller 78, the weight of the latterand its yoke will be carried by the gate through the rod and springconnections, and as the position of the gate is adjusted, that of theyoke and its roller will also occur.

An upper, power-rotated, tinted roller adapted to bear on the topsurface of the lumber is mounted l in a relatively-heavy yoke 86rookingly hung on a shaft or rod 87 extended between and supported bythe sidewalls, such yoke also carrying an intermediate, power-drivenshaft 88 geared to the shaft of the roller through correlated spur gears89 and 90. the height or position of the yoke and its roughened rollerbeing governed by two links 91 and 92 pivoted thereto and to tw"`ariiis93 and 94, respectively, fixed to a cross-shaft 95 revolubly mounted inand extended through one of, the side-walls, the exposed end of suchshaft having an arm 96 rigid therewithl pivoted to a rod 97 extendedlengthwise through a passage in a slidinglvmounted rack 98, the teeth ofwhich are in coactive relation with those of a pinion 99 on a shortshaft 101 fitted with a convenient` notched hand-wheel 102 supplied witha hinged, locking dog or pawl 103.

Between nuts 104 on the screw-threaded upper end of the rod 97 and thecorresponding end of the rack, a shook-absorbing spring 105 isinterposed, whereby the tinted roller has a certain amount of freedom ofmovement up and down, that is toward and from l the lumber beneath it.

ln order to indicate lthe adjustment of slieh roller, the yoke has apointer 106 (Figari-3) 'traversing a curved, graduated scale 107 on theoutside of the side-wall.

The main drive-shaft 111 revoluble in a bearing, not shown, on the framework and in a bearing 112 in a standard 113 (Figure 2) is suppliedwith adrive-pulley 114 designed to be connected to the drive-shaft of theplaning-machine with which the feeding-table is associated, whereby apredetermined higher speed of lumberv feed of the table over that of thein-feed illers' of the planing-machine will be maintained under allnormal conditions. r

Shaft 111 also has another pulley 115 close to the feeder, and adrivebelt 116 extends around such pulley, a second pulley 117 on a shaft118, a third pulley 119 on shaft 88, and a slack take-up or tighteningpulley 121 on an arm 122 voutstanding from a yshort cross-shaft 123provided with a. weighted arm 124 tending to tighten the belt by itsaction on this pulley.

The two fluted rollers 54 and 55 are revolved from shaft 118 by a gear125 on the latter in mesh with gears 126 and 127 on the shafts of thetwo rollers, all this gearing bein' suitably enclosed for lsafetypurposes.

haft 56 has a pulley 128 which rotates by means of the interconnectedbelt pulleys 129, 130, 131, 13e, 13a. isn, ist, is?`r` 138, y139, 141,142 and 143 whereby all the fluted rollers are rotated in the properdirection simultaneously.

To enable the workman to control the operation of the feeding-table andalso to govern the action of the planer or matcher with which the tableis coupled up. a crossshaft 144, mounted in bearings at that end of thetable remote from the planing machine, isl equipped with a handle 145 bymeans of which it may be rocked, and the other end of the shaft has abifurcated arm 146 keyed or otherwise fastened thereto, the arm beinghinged-to va long, horizontal link 147pivoted at its otherelnd to ahandle 148 on ashaft 149 connected by suitable means 150 to the powercontrol mechanism of the planer, whereby by actuating either handle theoperation of the planer may be regulated and controlled.

ln order that the feeding-table may be easily rendered operative andinoperative` means are provided for governing the action of pulley 121on the drive-belt 116 and accordingly a depending arm 151 on shaft 123is connected-by a long link 152 to a handle 153 loose on shaft 144whereby by manipulating such handle the position of the pulley may bevaried to slaoken and tighten the driving-belt sufficiently to controlthe operation of the feeding-table as a whole.

The appropriate side member 45 or 46 having been applied to thefeeding-table and adjusted to proper position for the width of boards tobe fed to the planer, the boards are placed individually in successionon the flnted rollers, the latter accommodating a pluralityv of suchboards, say two or three, at a time in superposed relation.

These rollers feed out the undermost board beneath the heavy voke andits roller, beneath the gate, and the other top fiuted roller beyond thegate between the infeed rollers of the planen,v

The board on top of such lowermost one is carried along by it until itsfront en strikes the abutment-7 7 (Figure 5) thus arresting furtherforward travel of such board.

and any others which may be resting on it for the time being. v

Or, in some cases with thin boa-rds. such second board passes under theroller 78 and is held back by the gate itself.

As soon as the lowermost board has been fed out, the next one drops intoplace and is fed forward under the gate being assisted in its initialmovement by the somewhatweighted roller 78.

The mounting for thel yoke 77 and its roller 78 permits these parte` torise and descend as occasion requires and during d ne ' end to endpassin such downward movements a satisfactory cushioning orshock-absorbing e'ect occurs by reason of the supportinv springs 83.

The gate itself can yied upwardly to some extent to compensate forboards of varying thicknesses, thus eliminating any clogging of themachine by reason ofthe passage of wedge-shaped boards beneath the ate.

g Rollers and 85 to the rear of the gate are effective in assisting theadvance of the boards one by one in endwise abutting relation, thefeed-rollers of the feeding-table being operated at a sufficientlyfaster speed than those of the planer to assure a continuous single linestream of lboa-rds bearing into the planer, which action is facilitateby reason of the ability of the operator to deliver the boards on to thefeeding-table rollers from trucks on either side of the table.

It will be noted also that by properly positioning the element 45 or 46,as the case may be, a suicient distance from the sidefence 24 yboards ofrandom widths may be accommodated and properly fed by thisfeeding-table.

This invention is not limited and restricted to the precise and exactstructural features shown and described since these are capable of moreor less radical changes without departure from the heart a-nd essence ofthe invention and without the sacrifice of any of its substantialbenefits and advantages.

l claim:

1. In a feeding-table of the character described, the combination of aframe, means on said frame adaptedto receive a plurality of superposedboards and to advance them, a gate downwardly inclined in the directionof the feed of the boards beneath which the boards are adapted to be fedindividually by said means, a mounting for said gate giving it freedomof movement toward and from the board beneath it, a roller carried byand in front of said gate and designed to bear on the boards a-nd tohold their front ends down to facilitate their passage beneath the gate,and a mounting for said roller on. said ate permitting the roller torise and descend.

2. In a feeding-table of the character described, the combination of aframe, means on said frame adapted to receive a plurality of superposedboards and to feed them, a gate beneath which the boards are adapted tobe fed individually by said feeding means, a pressure-roller on saidgate adapted to bear on the boards and to hold their ends down tofacilitate the introduction of the. lowermost board beneath the gate.and a member on said gate having an abut meal wall in advance of saidgate and anfansi maarre which the ends of the boards are adapted tostrike to prevent their forward feed until the proper moment.

3. In a feedin -table of the character described, the com ination of aframe, means on said frame adapted to receive a plurality of superposedboards and to feed them, a gate beneath which the boards are ada ted tobe fed individually by said fee ing means, a pressure-roller on and inadvance of said gate adapted to bear on the boards and to hold theirends down to facilitate the introduction of the lowermost one beneaththe gate, a-nd a yoke hinged to said gate hav` ing an abutment wallagainst which the ends of the boards are adapted to strike to preventtheir forward feed until the proper moment, said pressure-roller beingmounted on said yoke.

4. In a lumber feeding-table of the character described, the combinationof a frame, power-driven means on said frame adapted to accommodate aplurality of superposed boards and to feed them forwardly, aslidingly-mounted gate beneath which the lowermost boards are adapted tobe -fed individually by said feeding means, a pair of racks slidinglyassociated with said gate, a shaft, a pair of gears on said shaft inmesh with said racks, a handle b which said shaft and gears may beturned;7 to adjust the position of said ate, rods on which said gate ismounted s idingly accommodated in passages through said racks, andspring cushions between said gate and racks.

5. In a lumber feeding-table of the character described, the combinationof a frame, power-driven means on said frame adapted to accommodate aplurality of superposed boards and to 'feed them forwardly, aslidingly-mounted gate beneath which the lowermost boards are adapted tobe fed indi vidually by said feeding means, a pair of racks slidinglyassociated with said gate, a shaft, a pair of gears on said shaft inmesh with said racks, a handle by which said shaft and gears may beturned to adjust the position of said gate, rods on which said gate ismounted s idingly accommodated in passages through said racks, sprincushions between said gate and racks, an a revoluble pressure-rollermovably mounted on said gate and ada ted by its downward pressure on theboar s to facilitate the entrance of their front ends beneath said gate.

6. ln a lumber feeding-table of the character described, the combinationof a fraine` power-driven means on said frame 'adapted to accommodate aplurality of superposed boards and to feed them forwardly, aslidingly-mountcd gate beneath which the lowerniost boards are adaptedto be fed individually by said feeding means. a pair of racks slidinglyassociated with said gate, a

Etf-5 lill) f @meme iii! the former, and a pressure roller revoubly wmounted. in said hinged mounting and adopted by its ownwerd pressure onthe boards to acilitete the entrance of their front ends beneath seidgebe.

n witness whereof I heve hereunto set 15 my hand end Seel.

Femmine L. LANE. [L e]

